Folding shelf construction for folding tables



Dec. 6, 1955 H, HOWE FOLDING SHELF CONSTRUCTION FOR FOLDING TABLES SheetsSheet 1 Filed July 11, 1952 IN V EN TOR #18042 #09145.

Dec. 6, 1955 H. HOWE 2,725,987

FOLDING SHELF CONSTRUCTION FOR FOLDING TABLES Filed July 11, 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 i i l f zz-4:: 111: "1 :x 52 g 1sl i k J INVENTOR #49042: A an a.

ATTORNEYS United States Patent 1 2,725,987 FOLDING SHELF CONSTRUCTION FOR FOLDING TABLES Harold Howe, Rowayton, Conn., assignor to Howe Folding Furniture, Inc., New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application July 11, 1952, Serial No. 298,349 1 Claim. (Cl. 2113) This invention relates to folding shelf construction for folding tables of the kind having a top comprising two parts hinged together and movable from an unfolded position in abutting relationship in a single horizontal plane to a folded position in which said parts are disposed in adjacent parallel substantially vertical planes.

An object of the invention is to provide an improved folding table.

Another object of the invention is to provide simple and practical construction for a folding shelf adapted to fold and unfold in synchronism with a divided folding table top.

Another object of the invention is to provide shelf means for a table comprising a two part top movable from an unfolded position of edge to edge abutting relationship to a folded position in which said top parts are disposed in adjacent parallel planes, whereby said shelf folds and unfolds in synchronism with said top parts.

Other objects of the invention will be in part obvious or in part pointed out hereinafter.

The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction, combinations of elements, arrangements of parts, and in the several steps and relation and order of each of said steps to one or more of the others thereof, all as will be pointed out in the following description, and the scope of the application of which will be indicated in the following claim.

The invention will best be understood if the following description is read in connection with the drawings, in which,

Figure l is a side elevation of a preferred embodiment of the invention in unfolded position;

Figure 1A is a side elevational view, partly broken away, similar to Figure l but showing a modification of shelf supporting member 30;

Figure 2 is a similar view showing the table in folded position;

Figure 3 is an end elevation of the table in folded position;

Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure 3 of a somewhat modified embodiment of the invention;

Figure 5 is a side elevation of another embodiment of the invention; and

Figure 6 is a side elevational view, partly broken away, of still another possible embodiment of the invention.

In the embodiment of the invention shown in Figures 1, 2 and 3, there is shown a folding table of the type comprising a top having two parts hingedly related and movable from edge to edge abutting relation in a horizontal plane, in unfolded position, into two adjacent and substantially parallel planes in folded position. Folding tables of this type a e disclosed in my Patent No. 2,326,461, and in my Patent No. 2,594,262.

The divided table top comprises parts 10 and 12 hinged together along abutting lateral edges as for example by hinges 14. Whether the top parts fold upwardly or downwardly depends upon hinge means 14 being positioned either below or above said top parts. As shown herein by way of illustration the top parts fold upwardly from an unfolded position of abutting relationship in a single horizontal plane to a folded position in which said parts are disposed in adjacent substantially parallel vertical planes as illustrated in Figure 3.

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Each top part 10 and 12 has hinged support means, indicated generally by the numerals 16 and 18, it being understood that each such leg means'may comprise a pair of separate legs or a single leg of substantial width, or a pair of legs joined and strengthened by an interconnecting web W as shown in Figure 2. As shown herein the support means are pivoted to stringers 15 extending longitudinally of the top parts respectively, the stringers on one part being aligned with the stringers on the other part. The hinges 14 interconnecting the top parts are mounted on and interconnect aligned stringers on said parts respectively.

Interconnecting each of said top parts with the support means for the other top part are the brace members, indicated generally by the numerals 20 and 22, it being understood that said brace means may comprise one or a plurality of brace members extending between a top part and the support means for the other top part. By this structure any force tending to fold or unfold one top part or its support means is immediately imparted to the other top part and its support means, as is more fully explained in my said Patents No. 2,326,461, and No. 2,594,262.

The construction which is the subject matter of this application comprises one or more shelves connected to one or both of the support means for tables of the above described type and foldable or unfoldable in synchronism with the folding or unfolding of the table top and its support means.

In the drawings a plurality of shelves are indicated projecting respectively from the support means of a divided top folding table, but since each shelf and its operating and control means are the same I will describe only one of said'shelves and its operating and control means.

Shelf 24 is connected along its inner margin support means 16. The specific connection illustrated in Figure 1 is the hinge member 26 but it will be understood that other connection means permitting relative movement between the shelf and support means may be employed, such for example as that disclosed herein in Figure 5. As shown in Figure 1 the inner lateral margin of shelf 24 which is substantially in abutting relationship with support means 16 is bevelled with the bevel 28 permitting it to rotate upwardly beyond a horizontal plane for engaging a support member 30. Said support member 30 is pivotally con nected at its upper end to top part 10 by pivot means 33a and 33b. The member 30 may be interconnected with shelf 24 in a variety of ways to provide support for the shelf, and to impart folding or unfolding force to the shelf when the top part is folded or unfolded. Thus member 30 may comprise a single arm 30*, as shown in Figure 1A, having its lower portion 30 bent at right angles so that, upon first rotating said shelf upwardly beyond the horizontal position, the lower end 30 of said member may be inserted under the shelf and provide support means therefor. Catch means may be provided on the shelf to engage the said lower portion 30 of arm 30 so that member 30 will not only support shelf 24 but will impart folding or unfolding action to said shelf when the top is folded or unfolded.

Preferably the member 30 is a substantially U-shaped or bail-like member comprising the two substantially parallel arm portions 31 and 31 and the cross portion 31, the upper ends of arms 31 and 31 being pivotally secured to top part 10 as by pivots 33 and 33 With this construction a combination stop and lock member 34 is provided on the under surface of shelf 24, said member comprising a body portion 34 which is aflixed to the shelf in any suitable way as by screws s and the projecting portion 34 which extends outwardly of said shelf, in spaced but parallel relation thereto.- Said projecting port-ion has an intermediate portion 35 of reduced thickness and an end portion 36 ofgreater thickness than portion- 3 5 but neverth less spaced fromthe under surface of said shelf,

to permit the cross porno" 3'1 of r'ner'nber 30 to pass between it and the under surface of shelf 24 whereupon it dropsbehind the shoulder interconnecting said por tions 35 and 36. Member 34 thus acts to limit inward movement of member 30 along the under surface of shelf 24 and shoulder 38 of said member prevents inadvertent disengagement of said member with member 31' and thus member 30 is able to exertpositive folding or unfolding force against said member 34 or against the undersurface of shelf 24 in synchronism' with the folding or unfolding" of table top part to which member 30 is connected.

It will be noted that the folding or unfolding force exerted on shelf 24 by top part 10 results from the distance between the pivotal connection 49 and pivot 33 of member 30. As will" he seen in connection with Figure 5 a similar folding and unfolding action is obtained where the pivot means of a member interconnecting the shelf and the top part is spaced in'wardly' along the table top instead of outwardly from the said pivot means S9 of support means 16.

Upon rasing shelf 24 above a; horizontal position, as permitted by bevel 28, member 30 maybe slipped out of the non-positive catch or lock means 34 and swung clear of the shelf whereupon members 30 and 34 hang down out of the way, as illustrated in dotted lines at the right hand end of Figure 1.

As shown in Figure 3 the shelf 24 will be disposed in substantially the same vertical plane as the top part to which it is connected when the tableis in completely folded position.

There has thus been provided a structure in whi'ch the shelf 24' folds and unfolds in synch'ron'ism with the top part providing a convenient support surface supplementing the support surface provided by top parts 10 and 12' when the table is in unfolded position and lying in substantially the same plane as the top part to which it is connected, and thereby'causing the table to occupy no" ad'- ditional space, when the table is folded. V

In the embodiment of he invention shown in Figure 4 a single connecting member 50 is shown interconnecting top part 10' and shelf 24" in place" of the connecting inertiber 30. As shown connecting member 50 is bent over and pivotally connected at its upper end to top part 151 by pivot 52,and is similarly bent over and connected at its other end to top part 12 by pivot 5'4;

In the embodiment of thein'ven'tion shown in Figure 5 the inner lateral margin of shelf 24, instead of being hinged to support means 16, as shown in Figures 1' to 4, is slidingly related to support means 16 and for this purpose may have the lateral projections fifl'slideable respec tively within the slideway's 62 provided along the inner surfaces of opposed portions of support means 16. For support member 30 there is substituted brace means" 64 extending from adjacent the top of said support means 16 to the shelf 24, and the link means 66 pivotally connected to top 10 by pivot 68 spaced inwardly from the pivot means 70' of sa'id support means 16, and connected at its lower end to said shelf :24. Upon folding or unfolding of the table top 10, in this embodiment of the inven tion, force is exerted upon shelf 24 through link means 66 causing the shelf to move up or down within said slideway means 62;

Further variations in the support means may be made within the contemplation of this invention.

Thus for'examp'le as shown in Figure 6 aninterco'nnect ing member 80; similar to interconnectingmember 64 shownin Figure Sg-but comprising two portions hingedtogether at- 82 may be employed in conjunction withmember 84 connected at its: upper end tothe table top as at 86 and' connected at itsother end tothe hinge point- 82 of said member 80. With this construction folding for shelf 24 of the shelf 24 upwardly around its pivot connection 88 with support means 16 is initiated by downward movement of member 84 thus breaking member 80 at its hinge point 82, and unfolding of the? shelf 24 is accomplished in reverse manner by are straightening of rtifiibr' 80 due to the pull exerted on its hinge point 82 by member 84 as top part 10 unfolds.

The improved folding table disclosed herein is a simple, practical structure of many uses. The one or more shelves which may be connected to either or both of the table top portions may be folded and unfolded in synchronism with the folding and unfolding of the table top providing aserut aided support sensewhere-"1e table is in use arid'addifig nothing to' the width and therefore the effective' area ocupied by the table wheii the latter is folded, and one or more shelves on one end of the table may be in use while one or moresnrv's at the other end of the tablehang' dov'vn out of tli way, whereby the structure occupies less space.

v It will thus be seen that there has been provided by this invention an article irrvvh'ich the various objects herein above" set forth together with many thoroughly practical advantages are successfully achieved. A's various possible embodiments might be made of the mechanical features pr the above invention and as the art herein described might be varied in various parts, 311 without dcpar't'i'ng' from 'e scope of the invention, it is to be understood that all atter hereinbe'fore set forth or shown in the" accompanying drawings is to be interpreted as illustrative and not a limiting sense.

What I claim' is:

A table having a top' comprising two parts movable fromabuttingrelation iri' unfolded position into adjacent nt anet planes in raided position, hinge rrians interconnecting said parts,- leg nieans for' each of said parts respeetively' rvrs tany connected to said parts respectively and movable from unfolded position substantially perpendicul'ar to said parts to a folded position substantially parallel to said parts, links pivotally' connecting each top art to the iegmean s'or the other top part, a shelf pivot ally connected to the leg means for one of said parts and rotatable from a position substantially parallel to said leg" means, in folded o'r unfolded position of the leg means, to a position substantially normal to said leg means; support means readily erigag'eabl'e and disengageable' with said shelf comprising a U shaped member extending downwardly on the outside of said leg means, from" the top part to which said leg means is attached, the outer end of the arms of said member being respectively" ivotany conhect'ed to' the table to part, an L shaped catch of uneven contour carried by the shelf on its under surface and spaced from the leg means to which the shelf is attached for disengageably engaging the said support means for the shelf and serving as a stop while permitting relative rotary motion between said shelf and its said support means, said catch defining a space between a' portion of itself and the shelf wherein said U shaped member is freely rotatable, and defining a second narrower space" between said catch and another portion of the shelf through which said U shaped member' may be inserted infos'aid' space.

References Cifedinthe-file of this patent UNITED sTATEs PATENTS 1,281,318 Elmeridorf Oct. 15, 1918 1,424,619 Z;ie1 onko- Aug. 1, 1922 1,456,573 Roberts et al. May 29, 1923 2,131,620 Garrison etal. Sept. 27, 1938 2,326,461 Howe Aug. 10, 1943 2,594,262 Howe 4-: Apr. 22, 1952 r'onE'ioN PATENTS 524,332 Great Britain Aug. 5, 1940 594,625 France June 27, 1925 

